Unique weapon of the Ming Dynasty — Fei Kong Ji Zei Zhen Tian Lei Pao (飛空擊賊震天雷砲)

MINOR UPDATE JANUARY 29, 2024

Drawing of a Fei Kong Ji Zei Zhen Tian Lei Pao, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Fei Kong Ji Zei Zhen Tian Lei Pao (飛空擊賊震天雷砲, lit. 'Bandit-attacking, flying heaven-shaking thunder bomb'), also known as Zhen Tian Fei Pao (震天飛砲, lit. 'Heaven-shaking flying bomb'), was a type of ball-shaped winged rocket named after the famous cast-iron bomb used by Jin Dynasty army during Siege of Kaifeng. The weapon consisted of three components: a globular warhead made of papered basketry, a black powder rocket motor embedded within the warhead, as well as two wings. It was loaded with explosive, poisonous smoke gunpowder as well as poisoned fragmentation, and was usable as both siege and field artillery.

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Firelock firearms of the Ming Dynasty

UPDATED JULY 04, 2022, minor update March 6, 2026

Firelock guns—such as the wheellock, snaphaunce, miquelet lock, and true flintlock—represented the pinnacle of small-arms technology in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, offering superior reliability, weather resistance, and firing speed compared with matchlocks. Although the Ming Dynasty ultimately failed to adopt this advanced firearm on a large scale before its demise, various contemporary records and pieces of evidence suggest that knowledge of firelock guns was surprisingly widespread in late Ming China and that they may have entered limited service with the Ming military.

Zi Sheng Huo Chong (自生火銃, lit. 'Self-fire generating gun') (ca. 1635)

Drawing of a Zi Sheng Huo Chong, from 'Jun Qi Tu Shuo (《軍器圖說》)'.

The seventeenth-century military treatise Jun Qi Tu Shuo (《軍器圖說》) authored by Bi Mao Kang (畢懋康) is the only Ming military treatise to record a firelock gun, likely a miquelet lock, with a clear illustration. This weapon, called Zi Sheng Huo Chong, was said to be weatherproof and more convenient than a matchlock gun. 

Qian Li Chong (千裡銃, lit. 'Thousand li gun') (ca. 1565)

The Qian Li Chong was a type of handheld firearm—likely a firelock pistol—that was said to be a simple yet accurate weapon, worn on the belt and capable of being drawn and fired at a moment’s notice.

This weapon was introduced by Zhang Gong Fu (張公輔), the Regional Investigating Censor of Jiangxi (江西巡按), and was approved for mass production by the Ming court in 1565, with the Liaodong Defence Region noted as being capable of producing its own. This may possibly have been the only firelock gun to enter full (albeit likely still limited) military service with the Ming army.

Pi Li Huo Chong (霹靂火銃, lit. 'Thunderclap gun') (ca. 1599)

Ming firearm enthusiast and specialist Zhao Shi Zhen (趙士楨) may have been the first to discuss the pros and cons of a firelock gun—which he called the Pi Li Huo Chong—in detail. Regrettably, although he successfully reverse-engineered the weapon for his own use, he did not elaborate on the details of its ignition mechanism and considered the gun too expensive and complex for large-scale adoption.

Xu Guang Qi's attestation (exact date unknown, possibly 1605)

The firelock gun was also attested by the Ming polymath and military reformer Xu Guang Qi (徐光啟) in one of his memorials to the throne. Although he did not specifically describe a firelock gun or make a clear distinction between matchlock and firelock weapons, he did attest to the existence of particularly well-crafted arquebuses that could “use stone (i.e. either flint or pyrite) to ignite fire”.

Arquebuses and muskets mentioned in Bing Lu (《兵錄》) (ca. 1630)

In a section discussing arquebuses and muskets, the seventeenth-century military treatise Bing Lu also attests that both weapons could be equipped with either a matchlock or a firelock mechanism.

Fu Shou Ji (伏手機, lit. 'Concealed hand machine') (ca. 1632)

The Fu Shou Ji was a firearm of unknown type encountered by Chen Zi Yi (程子頤), author of the military treatise Wu Bei Yao Lue (《武備要略》), during a military operation to suppress a rebellion. He later reverse-engineered the weapon, renamed it Li Gong Guai (李公拐, lit. 'Lord Li's crutch'), and attempted to promote it to the Ming army.

Although the Fu Shou Ji was evidently not a firelock gun, Chen Zi Yi compared it favourably to both matchlock and firelock guns and lamented that even the rebels had access to superior firearms that the Ming army lacked. This suggests that firelock guns had already entered limited service with the Ming army by his time.

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Famous Military Unit of the Ming Dynasty — Lang Bing (狼兵)

Section of the Ming Dynasty scroll painting 'Kang Wo Tu Juan (《抗倭圖卷》)', depicting auxiliary troops armed with hook-like polearms. Other weapon such as Zhan Ma Dao (斬馬刀) can be seen in the illustration as well.

Lang Bing (狼兵, lit. 'Wolf troop') were a type of auxiliary infantry hailed from Guangxi region that were organised under the Tusi system. They were famous for their ferocity in battle, but also notorious for their lack of discipline and penchant for causing troubles.

The exact composition of Lang Bing was (and still is) a matter of debate, even during Ming period. Some considered only Tu Si troops from Nandan, Donglan, and Na Di (那地, near present-day Shanglin) to be "authentic" Lang Bing or Zhen Lang (真狼, lit. 'True wolf'), while others also counted Tu Si troops from Tianzhou and Gui Shun Zhou (歸順州, present-day Jingxi) among their ranks. The majority of Lang Bing consisted of Tong Ren (獞人, present-day Zhuang people) and Yao Ren (猺人, present-day Yao people). In fact, it is generally accepted that "Lang (狼, wolf)" in Lang Bing was derived from either Liang (俍) or Tong (峒), both archaic names of Zhuang people.

Lang Bing were frequently called to suppress ethnic minority conflicts and uprisings (even among their own people). By mid-Ming period, they also assisted Ming army to repel Wokou (倭寇) raids.

Equipment

Lang Bing were most famous for their skill in Yan Wei Pai (燕尾牌) and short sabres, although over the years they gruadually expanded their arsenal, adopting poisoned javelins, poisoned crossbows, spears as well as forks. By late-Ming period, they even had their own cavalry, arquebusiers, as well as specifically trained dogs to retrieve thrown javelins.

Lang Bing generally fought unarmoured.

Organisation and tactics

Under the Tu Si system, Lang Bing served as a reserve force that was only called upon in time of war. However, due to their high frequency of mobilisation, many Lang Bing were deployed to places far from their homeland and eventually settled there permanently. Some of these Lang Bing formed new communities and became new Tu Si, while others were either absorbed into regular army, or reorganised into semi-permanent garrisons that were more or less unofficial Wei-Suo (衛所).

Lang Bing had a very high qualification standard for their commanders. In theory, an officer qualified for commanding one thousand troops in other armies may only command one hundred Lang Bing, while an officer qualified for leading one hundred troops may only lead ten. This may be due to their indiscipline nature, requiring more experienced officers to handle them.

As lightly armoured swordsmen, Lang Bing relied on their ferocious charge to quickly close the distance and enter close combat as soon as possible, as they lacked the staying power of armoured troops.

Mixed reputation

Lang Bing often fought with such ferocity, it was said that twenty Lang Bing could easily overwhelm two hundred Wokou. However, due to their lack of discipline, Lang Bing were prone to break and flee if the battle went unfavourably for them. Their aggressiveness also made them more vulnerable to enemy ambush.

If left unchecked, Lang Bing often engaged in pillage, murder, rape, slavery and human trafficking at the place they were stationed.

Reference

Blog post updated with new and more accurate information taken from 明代的狼兵 on 逸佚居 (Traditional Chinese).

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